by Ace Atkins
Hennepin County Library audiobook 6 CDs
read by Joe Mantegna
genre: mystery
I got this (as well as several other titles) in preparation for my road trip with my sister Louise. I'm not sure how many (if any) Robert Parker books I've ever read, but I recognized the name as one she likes. Since Parker is dead and this was written by a different person (Atkins), I figured she hadn't read it yet. I was right! She knew the characters and some of the "in" jokes that I didn't get.
Spenser takes on a case for a distraught mom whose son was sent to a juvenile facility for a minor offense. As he looks into the case, there are two "dirty" judges and connections to the underworld.
Some of it was interesting and some of Spenser's attitude was funny. I see why this character resonates for Louise.
Friday, July 27, 2018
Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland
by Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus,
with Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan
Hennepin County Library audiobook, 10 CDs
read by Jorjeana Marie, Marisol Ramirez and Arthur Morey
genre: non-fiction, memoir
This was horrible. The title first caught my attention. Hope is such a powerful entity.
As I was listening to disc one, I thought about stopping. It's just too horrible and depressing. Then I realized that these women survived a terrible ordeal . . . and I couldn't handle "listening" to their story?! That didn't seem right. They deserve to have their story heard. (This made me think of how awful it was to watch the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan. I had to pause the video and think, "My stomach is in knots watching this on a screen while I'm safe in my living room. What on earth was it like for the young men who were actually there, seeing the carnage, on those beaches in the 1940s????")
The Sylvia Brown psychic story when she told Amanda's mom on Montel Williams' show that Amanda was dead . . . that loss of hope was so awful.
It's horrific that Arlene Castro and Gina were best friends. Amanda knew another of his daughters. Michelle was friends with Castro's daughter Emily. Yuk. What a hideous man! And Arlene had "behavioral issues" after Gina went missing? Wow. If she'd only known . . .
Timeline. As I was listening, I tried to think of what I was doing and how old my kids were on the dates of these women's stories.
August 22, 2002 - Michelle Knight taken
April 21, 2003 - Amanda Berry abducted the day before her seventeenth birthday
April 2, 2004 - Gina DeJesus was taken (only 14 years old!!! And he knew her parents!)
March 2, 2006 - Amanda's mother, Luanne Miller, died age 43
December 25, 2006 - Amanda gave birth to Jocelyn Jade
May 6, 2013 - they rescued themselves. Ariel Castro was arrested.
September 3, 2013 - Castro killed himself by hanging. (9:18 pm - less than a half hour after the last check on him . . . I can't believe they tried CPR and called for an ambulance. I suppose they had to. Thirty-three days after he was sentenced.)
There's a more thorough timeline at www.cbsnews.com/news/timeline-of-events-the-cleveland-kidnapping-case/ . . . but it's still all horrific.
The part on April 10, 2013 when Castro was visiting with his daughter Angie . . . chilling. How on earth did his four children from his first marriage reconcile his actions with the dad they knew (once they found out, of course)? Angie's last visit to the house on Seymour Avenue . . . how awful.
When Gina started cutting, it just added to the sadness of what she experienced. How did these women survive?!?! Yes, hope. Hope to see their families again, to be free. I'm so glad their families never gave up on finding them.
I'm sad to not know more of Michelle's story, but I don't think I can handle reading her book. The fact that Castro had beaten her to make her miscarry (multiple times) is just another layer of horror.
"I have no choice." That phrase came up a lot from both Amanda and Gina. Castro was an icky creepy nasty man!
Jocelyn Jade - Amanda Berry's daughter. The key to their escape!
As I'm listening to the part immediately after they're rescued and she is meeting with lawyers at her sister's house, I am in tears hearing the reader say (as Amanda) - "I'm not sure what lawyers can do, but I want a headstone for my mother's grave and I want a birth certificate for Jocelyn."
All the times that Castro insisted that he was a victim, or that the girls had had consensual sex with him, or that his "faith" kept him from being a danger to himself . . . makes me want to puke. What a horrible, twisted human being!
I'm so glad that there was an outpouring of support (and money) for these women once they were free. I cannot begin to imagine how challenging it was for them to rebuild lives after a decade of imprisonment and torture. I remember when they were found - it was all over the news. But to hear their stories and their focus on hope and the future - that's inspiring.
with Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan
Hennepin County Library audiobook, 10 CDs
read by Jorjeana Marie, Marisol Ramirez and Arthur Morey
genre: non-fiction, memoir
This was horrible. The title first caught my attention. Hope is such a powerful entity.
As I was listening to disc one, I thought about stopping. It's just too horrible and depressing. Then I realized that these women survived a terrible ordeal . . . and I couldn't handle "listening" to their story?! That didn't seem right. They deserve to have their story heard. (This made me think of how awful it was to watch the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan. I had to pause the video and think, "My stomach is in knots watching this on a screen while I'm safe in my living room. What on earth was it like for the young men who were actually there, seeing the carnage, on those beaches in the 1940s????")
The Sylvia Brown psychic story when she told Amanda's mom on Montel Williams' show that Amanda was dead . . . that loss of hope was so awful.
It's horrific that Arlene Castro and Gina were best friends. Amanda knew another of his daughters. Michelle was friends with Castro's daughter Emily. Yuk. What a hideous man! And Arlene had "behavioral issues" after Gina went missing? Wow. If she'd only known . . .
Timeline. As I was listening, I tried to think of what I was doing and how old my kids were on the dates of these women's stories.
August 22, 2002 - Michelle Knight taken
April 21, 2003 - Amanda Berry abducted the day before her seventeenth birthday
April 2, 2004 - Gina DeJesus was taken (only 14 years old!!! And he knew her parents!)
March 2, 2006 - Amanda's mother, Luanne Miller, died age 43
December 25, 2006 - Amanda gave birth to Jocelyn Jade
May 6, 2013 - they rescued themselves. Ariel Castro was arrested.
September 3, 2013 - Castro killed himself by hanging. (9:18 pm - less than a half hour after the last check on him . . . I can't believe they tried CPR and called for an ambulance. I suppose they had to. Thirty-three days after he was sentenced.)
There's a more thorough timeline at www.cbsnews.com/news/timeline-of-events-the-cleveland-kidnapping-case/ . . . but it's still all horrific.
The part on April 10, 2013 when Castro was visiting with his daughter Angie . . . chilling. How on earth did his four children from his first marriage reconcile his actions with the dad they knew (once they found out, of course)? Angie's last visit to the house on Seymour Avenue . . . how awful.
When Gina started cutting, it just added to the sadness of what she experienced. How did these women survive?!?! Yes, hope. Hope to see their families again, to be free. I'm so glad their families never gave up on finding them.
I'm sad to not know more of Michelle's story, but I don't think I can handle reading her book. The fact that Castro had beaten her to make her miscarry (multiple times) is just another layer of horror.
"I have no choice." That phrase came up a lot from both Amanda and Gina. Castro was an icky creepy nasty man!
Jocelyn Jade - Amanda Berry's daughter. The key to their escape!
As I'm listening to the part immediately after they're rescued and she is meeting with lawyers at her sister's house, I am in tears hearing the reader say (as Amanda) - "I'm not sure what lawyers can do, but I want a headstone for my mother's grave and I want a birth certificate for Jocelyn."
All the times that Castro insisted that he was a victim, or that the girls had had consensual sex with him, or that his "faith" kept him from being a danger to himself . . . makes me want to puke. What a horrible, twisted human being!
I'm so glad that there was an outpouring of support (and money) for these women once they were free. I cannot begin to imagine how challenging it was for them to rebuild lives after a decade of imprisonment and torture. I remember when they were found - it was all over the news. But to hear their stories and their focus on hope and the future - that's inspiring.
Monday, July 23, 2018
Then Sings My Soul
by Amy K Sorrells
Hennepin County Library paperback 298 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
"When Nel Stewart returns home after the sudden death of her mother, she realizes her beloved father, Jakob, is struggling with dementia."
That's the first part of the back cover blurb. Nel as a character never really resonated for me. I was much more interested in the story of Jakob's childhood escaping the atrocities in Ukraine. "Told partially through Jakob's flashbacks of fleeing genocide-ridden eastern Europe at the turn of the twentieth century . . . " Jakob's life and story were what really spoke to me in this book.
For not having an "I LOVE this book" reaction, I sure put a lot of post-it notes in the pages . . .
I started noting the vocabulary words that were new for me. That was an odd sensation, reading a book and thinking, "what does that mean?" I was not familiar with "lapidary" but quickly used context clues to know that it had to do with gemstones, jewelry, etc. (M-W.com: lapidary - 1:
* Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Hennepin County Library paperback 298 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
"When Nel Stewart returns home after the sudden death of her mother, she realizes her beloved father, Jakob, is struggling with dementia."
That's the first part of the back cover blurb. Nel as a character never really resonated for me. I was much more interested in the story of Jakob's childhood escaping the atrocities in Ukraine. "Told partially through Jakob's flashbacks of fleeing genocide-ridden eastern Europe at the turn of the twentieth century . . . " Jakob's life and story were what really spoke to me in this book.
For not having an "I LOVE this book" reaction, I sure put a lot of post-it notes in the pages . . .
I started noting the vocabulary words that were new for me. That was an odd sensation, reading a book and thinking, "what does that mean?" I was not familiar with "lapidary" but quickly used context clues to know that it had to do with gemstones, jewelry, etc. (M-W.com: lapidary - 1:
a cutter, polisher, or engraver of precious stones usually other than diamonds 2
: the art of cutting gems). This further bugged me because I kept thinking of butterflies (Lepidoptera) for some reason. Then "cabochons" came up numerous times! I understood that it was a certain piece of jewelry, but I didn't know what. The author finally defined it on page 168, after using it a half dozen times. Urg! (M-W.com: cabochon -1: a gem or bead cut in convex form and highly polished but not faceted; also 2: this style of cutting).
Then on page 86, "plangent" vibrations . . . what?! (M-W.com: plangent - 1
: having a loud reverberating sound 2
: having an expressive and especially plaintive quality). I should probably have known that, but I didn't! So I guess you could say this book was educational.
Page 45 - "Over the past year or so, it was Catherine who had been covering for him. The lines between past and present, real and not real blurred more and more frequently in his mind." This reminds me so much of my mom's struggles toward the end of her life. It's so sad to see someone you love become confused.
Page 47 - "He eventually realized the hole in the heart of a woman who longs for children is not something he - nor any man - could fill." Oh, this makes me think of someone I care about very much who is struggling with infertility. All I can do is pray and try to be supportive.
Page 85 - "God seemed to be everywhere around the dead, but Jakob had yet to find much evidence of Him around the living, besides on the countenance of his wife and a few other exceptions like Mattie." The truth of this overwhelms me! For so many people who do not yet know or love the Lord, they don't see the love and life and joy of Jesus! Believers need to shine the Light of the world!
Page 92 - "It's only because I say the prayers every morning and every night, whether I feel like it or not, that my heart has not hardened like granite." I love Peter and his attempts to get through to Jakob! I love this idea that you pray whether you feel like it or not. God is so good!
Page 94 - Jakob tells Peter about Faigy and what happened and how guilty he has felt. Oh this made me so sad!
Page 97 - "'It's easy when something bad happens, especially when someone you love very much dies, to become bitter and angry at God. . . . Because God does not cause the bad. Man causes the bad. God is always good. And so we are always to praise Him.'" This time, the wisdom comes from Mama before the evil hits home. (This is where Peter gets his faith!)
Page 151 - "'Do not let the evil harden your heart, my son. You must believe God is bigger than all this.'" Luda was another amazing character as the boys fled the Ukraine.
Page 181 - "Men, he knew, could do far more harm to humans than any machine." For Jakob to learn this at such a young age . . . how do children recover from seeing evil?
Page 190 - "She learned about missionaries like Stuart Hine from Britain . . . Andrey Sheptytsky . . . " This whole section made me want to do some research! These allusions to people I've never heard of who made an impact for God makes me want to know more.
Page 217 - "'Say it always. The words in your head will help the truth return to your heart. . . '" Peter again. I was crying by this point. The theme of forgiveness is so strong on this page!
Page 295-6 - "It's a grand shame most of us don't know the impact of what we're doing with a person until it's too long past or too painful to revisit, Jakob thought. Then again, maybe it's better not knowing and having done the thing anyway." I want to be intentional in loving people and sharing God's love to the best of my ability!
In her afterwords, Sorrells writes about her inspirations in writing this story. One of them references her grandfather. "The metaphor of a rough and unsightly rock or mineral being faceted and polished into something beautiful, and how Yahweh does the same thing with us is one that never grows old or cliche' to me." I'm so thankful to God for shaping and polishing me!
Also in the afterword, she listed books on different topics that came up in the story. Here are her recommendations on dementia:
* Still Alice by Lisa Genova
* No Act of Love Is Ever Wasted: The Spirituality of Caring for Persons with Dementia by Jane Marie Thibault and Richard L. Morgan
* Not Alone: Encouragement for Caregivers by Nell E. Noonan
Sunday, July 22, 2018
Boston Jacky: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Taking Care of Business
by L.A. Meyer
Scott County Library hardcover 364 pages
genre: YA historic fiction, adventure
This was #11 in the series and one of my least favorites. Jacky is back in Boston, but the ladies of the Women's Temperance Union are on the move against her. The "protection" groups / gangs are also causing trouble for her and her newly purchased Pig and Whistle.
While I appreciate how Meyer includes relevant historical information in these entertaining tales, I was a bit surprised this time around. From page 178: "'Ah well, yes, there are several jewel merchants, all of a Hebraic persuasion here in Boston, and they were most avid in examining the collection, a loupe to every eye. I perceived them to be honest brokers, and since their business was global in nature, very few questions were asked.'" I can't imagine too many teen readers are aware of the historical punch that this observation packs.
I have never liked the nasty Constable Wiggins and the meanness of some of the characters in Boston. When Joanie and Ravi are taken from Jacky and put in horrible institutions, I expected Jacky to rescue them immediately. But the fight for their liberty took much longer and became quite convoluted. On page 225, "I stand there totally perplexed and wounded, too. I have been called many things in this life, but this is new to me and it cuts me to my core . . . unfit mother . . . " I felt a bit sad for Jacky here.
Clarissa's double-cross, yet another misunderstanding between Jacky and Jaimy, the destruction of her hard work, the arsonist, . . . there were so many more unpleasant parts to this story than there were fun, funny, or heroic parts.
Theoretically, the next book (#12) is the last one. Hooray! May it all end on a high note.
Scott County Library hardcover 364 pages
genre: YA historic fiction, adventure
This was #11 in the series and one of my least favorites. Jacky is back in Boston, but the ladies of the Women's Temperance Union are on the move against her. The "protection" groups / gangs are also causing trouble for her and her newly purchased Pig and Whistle.
While I appreciate how Meyer includes relevant historical information in these entertaining tales, I was a bit surprised this time around. From page 178: "'Ah well, yes, there are several jewel merchants, all of a Hebraic persuasion here in Boston, and they were most avid in examining the collection, a loupe to every eye. I perceived them to be honest brokers, and since their business was global in nature, very few questions were asked.'" I can't imagine too many teen readers are aware of the historical punch that this observation packs.
I have never liked the nasty Constable Wiggins and the meanness of some of the characters in Boston. When Joanie and Ravi are taken from Jacky and put in horrible institutions, I expected Jacky to rescue them immediately. But the fight for their liberty took much longer and became quite convoluted. On page 225, "I stand there totally perplexed and wounded, too. I have been called many things in this life, but this is new to me and it cuts me to my core . . . unfit mother . . . " I felt a bit sad for Jacky here.
Clarissa's double-cross, yet another misunderstanding between Jacky and Jaimy, the destruction of her hard work, the arsonist, . . . there were so many more unpleasant parts to this story than there were fun, funny, or heroic parts.
Theoretically, the next book (#12) is the last one. Hooray! May it all end on a high note.
Monday, July 16, 2018
The Cafe' by the Sea
by Jenny Colgan
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by the author
genre: realistic fiction, romance
What a fun book! I think my favorite part may have been listening to the lovely accents. I didn't realize that the author was also the vocal talent until I started this blog entry. Beautiful!
Flora is a paralegal in London when her boss (whom she has a huge crush on) asks her to go to the small Scottish island of Mure to help a wealthy client. Flora does NOT want to go back to the island she grew up on and has not been back to since her mother's funeral. Once she goes, though, old and new collide in her life.
I loved this book!
Lorna is such a wise and wonderful friend.
"You're in a different world when you lose a parent." Yes! And grief is an odd thing.
I *love* the Scottish tongue! I could listen to this book over and over just to hear her voice!
Wow. Flora is grumpier than me!
Joel is such a jerk! I liked learning more about him as the story went on.
Agate - cool name! Flora, Fenton, Innis, Hammish, and Eck? (I couldn't find a list of the characters online . . . not that I looked super hard. That's one of the challenges of audiobooks and not seeing the words in print!)
I didn't realize she had written so many books! I'll have to find some more. Reading this one made me want to make scones!
(Above written 7.16.18. Below added 9.18.18.)
Some notes from listening a second time:
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by the author
genre: realistic fiction, romance
What a fun book! I think my favorite part may have been listening to the lovely accents. I didn't realize that the author was also the vocal talent until I started this blog entry. Beautiful!
Flora is a paralegal in London when her boss (whom she has a huge crush on) asks her to go to the small Scottish island of Mure to help a wealthy client. Flora does NOT want to go back to the island she grew up on and has not been back to since her mother's funeral. Once she goes, though, old and new collide in her life.
I loved this book!
Lorna is such a wise and wonderful friend.
"You're in a different world when you lose a parent." Yes! And grief is an odd thing.
I *love* the Scottish tongue! I could listen to this book over and over just to hear her voice!
Wow. Flora is grumpier than me!
Joel is such a jerk! I liked learning more about him as the story went on.
Agate - cool name! Flora, Fenton, Innis, Hammish, and Eck? (I couldn't find a list of the characters online . . . not that I looked super hard. That's one of the challenges of audiobooks and not seeing the words in print!)
I didn't realize she had written so many books! I'll have to find some more. Reading this one made me want to make scones!
(Above written 7.16.18. Below added 9.18.18.)
Some notes from listening a second time:
- I looked on a map of Scotland for an island called Muir or Mure or anything like that. Nope. But very interesting to learn more about Scotland!
- I dislike how much the characters used the Lord's name in vain! Not a lot of other swearing, but it's hard to hear His name used as an expletive.
- Benefits of fresh air, outdoors, etc.! Loved this! Made me want to go outside for a hike.
- Title . . . it takes quite a while to get to the cafe' part of the story.
- "Nobody could conceivably fancy someone who didn't like dogs." - I love when Flora makes this comment. I too am a dog lover!
Friday, July 06, 2018
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
by C.S. Lewis
personal paperback 248 pages
genre: YA Christian allegorical fiction / fantasy
My pastor referenced this book a while back. It had been quite a while since I had read any of the Chronicles of Narnia, so I put it on my reading pile. Now that I've re-read it, I don't know what pastor had referenced!
I remember liking Reepicheep and his sassy, saucy attitude. It's nice to see Eustace transform from a brat into a decent kid (via life as a dragon . . . ).
In Chapter 7, Eustace is telling about what helped him transform back into a human from dragon form. Tearing off the dragon skin and being tender underneath . . . sounds a lot like the old man becoming a new creation.
In Chapter 10, when Lucy is reading in the Magician's Book, I like how her defiance and determination to do something she knows is wrong has sad consequences. I can relate! I hate it when I ignore that "still, silent voice" of the Holy Spirit and do something I know is wrong . . . and the results are predictable.
Chapter 12 and the Dark Island was very interesting. I love that they were rescued by Lucy's prayers to Aslan when they were trapped in their darkness and fear.
personal paperback 248 pages
genre: YA Christian allegorical fiction / fantasy
My pastor referenced this book a while back. It had been quite a while since I had read any of the Chronicles of Narnia, so I put it on my reading pile. Now that I've re-read it, I don't know what pastor had referenced!
I remember liking Reepicheep and his sassy, saucy attitude. It's nice to see Eustace transform from a brat into a decent kid (via life as a dragon . . . ).
In Chapter 7, Eustace is telling about what helped him transform back into a human from dragon form. Tearing off the dragon skin and being tender underneath . . . sounds a lot like the old man becoming a new creation.
In Chapter 10, when Lucy is reading in the Magician's Book, I like how her defiance and determination to do something she knows is wrong has sad consequences. I can relate! I hate it when I ignore that "still, silent voice" of the Holy Spirit and do something I know is wrong . . . and the results are predictable.
Chapter 12 and the Dark Island was very interesting. I love that they were rescued by Lucy's prayers to Aslan when they were trapped in their darkness and fear.
Wednesday, July 04, 2018
Ashes
book three of the Ashes trilogy
by Ilsa Bick
Scott County Library hardcover 671 pages
genre: YA dystopian fiction
I'm finally done. This was as gory and horrid as book two. I'm such a glutton for punishment!
I should have made a character map. I found out what happened to Alex, Tom, and Ellie. And Mina, Wolf/Simon, Peter, Finn, Jess, Kincaid, and about fifty other characters. Lots of murder and mayhem. Lots of dystopian darkness. My curiosity is appeased.
by Ilsa Bick
Scott County Library hardcover 671 pages
genre: YA dystopian fiction
I'm finally done. This was as gory and horrid as book two. I'm such a glutton for punishment!
I should have made a character map. I found out what happened to Alex, Tom, and Ellie. And Mina, Wolf/Simon, Peter, Finn, Jess, Kincaid, and about fifty other characters. Lots of murder and mayhem. Lots of dystopian darkness. My curiosity is appeased.
The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy
by Thomas J. Stanley, Ph.D. and William D. Danko, Ph.D.
Hennepin County Library hardcover 258 pages
genre: non-fiction sociology
This book was referenced in a number of different places and I'm glad I read it. My two biggest take-aways (personally) were to live below my means and I just don't care that much about wealth. Yep. My personal takeaways.
On page 22, the table "The top fifteen economically productive small population ancestry groups" lists people groups from primarily Caucasian countries. Perhaps it's because people from African and South American countries are larger population groups in the U.S.? Or because these people have not been able to attain great wealth?
Page 24 really caught my eye! "They are the opposite of their father, the blue-collar, successful business owner. His children have become Americanized. They are part of the high-consuming, employment-postponing generation. How many generations does it take for an ancestry group that today contains thousands of Victors to become Americanized? Only a few. Most move into the 'American normal' range within one or two generations. This is why America needs a constant flow of immigrants with the courage and tenacity of Victor. These immigrants and their immediate offspring are constantly needed to replace the Victors of America." And these authors are pretty conservative! I wonder what they think of Trump's isolationist policies . . .
I love how the parts on children of wealthy parents differentiate by career. As wealthy parents give financial gifts to their children, many just waste that money! (Easy come, easy go.) "In spite of having lower incomes than nonreceivers, gift receivers who are high school / elementary school teachers have higher net worths than nonreceivers." Yep. Because teachers know how to scrimp!
There are actually a lot of really interesting observations they have made from their research into millionaires. Despite what we see from Hollywood, there are only a very small percentage of the ultra-wealthy with the high lifestyle. Most millionaires are self-made through entrepreneurial efforts. They generally buy used cars and keep them several years, work very hard, and live below their means so they can amass wealth.
At many points in this book, I thought, "But I just don't care that much about money!" Life is short and precious and I want to store up treasures in Heaven. Eternity is more important than stuff.
Page 219 had some really interesting things to say about immigration law . . . and this was published in 1996. It would be very interesting to see a revised book. Stanley has died (his daughter wrote the forward on this 2010 publication). If they were able to replicate the research, would their findings be the same? What about all the dot-com entrepreneurs? I think it's interesting to see that Bill and Melinda Gates do not plan to just hand their wealth to their children. This book really has a lot of sad observations about the generational impact of wealth. It's easy to spend someone else's money . . .
Hennepin County Library hardcover 258 pages
genre: non-fiction sociology
This book was referenced in a number of different places and I'm glad I read it. My two biggest take-aways (personally) were to live below my means and I just don't care that much about wealth. Yep. My personal takeaways.
On page 22, the table "The top fifteen economically productive small population ancestry groups" lists people groups from primarily Caucasian countries. Perhaps it's because people from African and South American countries are larger population groups in the U.S.? Or because these people have not been able to attain great wealth?
Page 24 really caught my eye! "They are the opposite of their father, the blue-collar, successful business owner. His children have become Americanized. They are part of the high-consuming, employment-postponing generation. How many generations does it take for an ancestry group that today contains thousands of Victors to become Americanized? Only a few. Most move into the 'American normal' range within one or two generations. This is why America needs a constant flow of immigrants with the courage and tenacity of Victor. These immigrants and their immediate offspring are constantly needed to replace the Victors of America." And these authors are pretty conservative! I wonder what they think of Trump's isolationist policies . . .
I love how the parts on children of wealthy parents differentiate by career. As wealthy parents give financial gifts to their children, many just waste that money! (Easy come, easy go.) "In spite of having lower incomes than nonreceivers, gift receivers who are high school / elementary school teachers have higher net worths than nonreceivers." Yep. Because teachers know how to scrimp!
There are actually a lot of really interesting observations they have made from their research into millionaires. Despite what we see from Hollywood, there are only a very small percentage of the ultra-wealthy with the high lifestyle. Most millionaires are self-made through entrepreneurial efforts. They generally buy used cars and keep them several years, work very hard, and live below their means so they can amass wealth.
At many points in this book, I thought, "But I just don't care that much about money!" Life is short and precious and I want to store up treasures in Heaven. Eternity is more important than stuff.
Page 219 had some really interesting things to say about immigration law . . . and this was published in 1996. It would be very interesting to see a revised book. Stanley has died (his daughter wrote the forward on this 2010 publication). If they were able to replicate the research, would their findings be the same? What about all the dot-com entrepreneurs? I think it's interesting to see that Bill and Melinda Gates do not plan to just hand their wealth to their children. This book really has a lot of sad observations about the generational impact of wealth. It's easy to spend someone else's money . . .
Treasure Mountain
by Louis L'Amour
Scott County Library audiobook 5 CDs
read by David Strathairn
genre: western
1890s? I haven't read a Louis L'Amour book for a while. This was a Sackett book, but it started with Orrin and then shifted to William Tell . . . as they tried to discover what had happened twenty years earlier when their dad disappeared. Here are some impressions I had while listening.
The hotel worker / former slave is named Judas Priest . . . I wonder what that meant to the author when he wrote this. It made me think of the heavy metal band, and the Bible.
In chapter seven, when they talked with Phillip, I laughed at the characters who had gone out west twenty years ago - Mr. Sackett with Pierre, Andre Baston, Hippo Swan, Angus Priest, and Pettigrew! (I instantly thought of Harry Potter with that one . . . )
They're seriously trying to uncover what had happened out west in the mountains twenty years earlier?
I had to look up "dido" because he used it at least twice. Here's what Merriam-Webster says:
Scott County Library audiobook 5 CDs
read by David Strathairn
genre: western
1890s? I haven't read a Louis L'Amour book for a while. This was a Sackett book, but it started with Orrin and then shifted to William Tell . . . as they tried to discover what had happened twenty years earlier when their dad disappeared. Here are some impressions I had while listening.
The hotel worker / former slave is named Judas Priest . . . I wonder what that meant to the author when he wrote this. It made me think of the heavy metal band, and the Bible.
In chapter seven, when they talked with Phillip, I laughed at the characters who had gone out west twenty years ago - Mr. Sackett with Pierre, Andre Baston, Hippo Swan, Angus Priest, and Pettigrew! (I instantly thought of Harry Potter with that one . . . )
They're seriously trying to uncover what had happened out west in the mountains twenty years earlier?
I had to look up "dido" because he used it at least twice. Here's what Merriam-Webster says:
2
: something that is frivolous or showy
It was funny how L'Amour seemed to be trying to show how enlightened he was in terms of his attitudes toward racial differences (as shown in how the noble Sacketts treated former slaves). Yet coming from the very PC 20teens, his language choices are just so NOT as enlightened.
Why on earth would Tell insist on going out alone to face murderers when there are capable friends who could help? He's not much of a strategist.
This is the eleventh Sackett book (according to the end blurb). I like the Sacketts, but the ending was so abrupt and the western macho just not my favorite style. It was a fun, quick change of pace.
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